An energy savings can be realized through automated adjustment of artificial lighting (e.g., LED, fluorescent, incandescent) to match a desired lighting level, such that the artificial lighting is not powered more than necessary to reach that desired level. In certain environments, ambient light (e.g., light from the sun or other sources) influences a total level of ambient light in a volume to be lit, which in turn influences the amount of light that must be output by the artificial lighting to match the desired light level. To further complicate matters, such external sources may vary their contributions over time (e.g., the sun contributes zero light to a room at night, but produces significant light during the day through a window). Detection of ambient light for adjustment of an artificial light source is made especially difficult in arrangements where it is desirable to place an ambient light detector in close proximity (e.g., near or within) to an artificial light source due to the interference of light from the artificial light source with the ambient light sought to be detected.